Who We Are

by Ashley Lodato Arts Education Director photos by Rachel Stratman Third grade students at Methow Valley Elementary School had no idea that they could make art using a rock and some flowers, but after a day of learning the Victorian art of flower bashing, they were sold on the process. No one confers as much… [Read More]

Each winter, Brewster 5th graders participate in a 5-week poetry residency, working with Methow Arts teaching poet Kelleigh McMillan. Students become familiar with “painting pictures with words” and with relating their emotions to the natural world. Each week they experiment with a different poetic concept: simile, metaphor, free verse, stanza, etc. Students write poems about their bedrooms,… [Read More]

by Ashley Lodato, Education Director Using sketching and acrylic painting techniques fourth grade students at Methow Valley Elementary School created still life compositions through a Methow Arts Artist-in-Residence program. Teaching artist Deirdre Cassidy showed students a diversity of examples throughout art history and taught them about the nature of the content in still life compositions.… [Read More]

by Ashley Lodato, Education Director In March, Methow Valley Elementary 5th grade students explored the “Who We Are” unit of the International Baccalaureate (IB) framework through a collage residency with Methow Arts teaching artist Annie Venable. The concept was originally developed by 5th grade teachers Jennifer Duguay and Catie Barber working with teaching artist Hana… [Read More]

TEACHER COMMENTS FROM SUPAMAN PERFORMANCE Overall, how would you describe the performance? We could not have asked for a more relevant meaningful presentation for our student body. He had a great message, related to the kids well, and showcased the Native American culture in a positive way. Wonderful performance – relevant to our population –… [Read More]

by Ashley Lodato Education Director, Methow Arts Alliance When do you get to see the Methow Valley Elementary School art room filled with eagles, cougars, rattlesnakes, herons, and black widows? Second graders know the answer to this–when Trish Rouse visits the school, that’s when. Rouse, a Mazama-based artist and teaching artist, has been leading papier-mâché residencies for… [Read More]

Fourth graders at East Omak Elementary School combined fiber arts with their perspectives on winter in a felted wool residency. Working with teaching artist Annie Venable, students explored the process of wet felting. First, students spent time observing and reflecting on the colors, traditions, and themes of winter. Next, they composed pieces of writing describing their observations. Some wrote poems… [Read More]

In the winter of 2017, Brewster 5th graders participated in a 5-week poetry residency, working with Methow Arts teaching poet Kelleigh McMillan. Students became familiar with “painting pictures with words” and with relating their emotions to the natural world. Each week they experimented with a different poetic concept: simile, metaphor, free verse, stanza, etc. Students wrote poems… [Read More]